‘This is a threat to national security’: Justice Department vows to fight Harvard’s court win blocking Trump visa ban

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Donald Trump’s recent attempt to prevent international students from entering the United States or obtaining visas to attend Harvard University. The order came just hours after Harvard expanded its existing lawsuit against an earlier Trump administration move regarding foreign students.

According to Politico, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that Harvard would face immediate and irreparable harm if Trump’s Wednesday proclamation were allowed to proceed. The proclamation had authorized the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to effectively ban foreign nationals from studying or teaching at Harvard.

“Harvard is refusing to provide the federal government with information about crimes and misconduct committed by its foreign students,” Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle wrote on X.. “This is a threat to national security, and we will vigorously defend @POTUS’s proclamation.”

Harvard claims Trump’s actions are retaliatory and unconstitutional

Harvard’s legal team has argued that Trump’s actions are not aimed at protecting U.S. interests but rather represent a “government vendetta” against the university. The school’s amended lawsuit points to recent presidential statements on social media and in the Oval Office as evidence of unconstitutional retaliation for Harvard’s decision to challenge his administration in court.

The dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration has primarily centered on the university’s handling of campus antisemitism. While the administration claims Harvard has failed to protect Jewish students from harassment, the university contends that the administration’s demands go beyond addressing antisemitism and seek to control the institution’s governance, curriculum, and ideological direction.

The impact of Trump’s proclamation, though temporarily blocked, would have been significant for Harvard’s international student community, which comprises approximately 27 percent of total enrollment. More than 6,700 international students were enrolled at the university as of fall 2024. While the order did not immediately revoke existing student visas, it threatened to prevent new foreign students and faculty from entering the U.S. for the upcoming fall semester.

The Justice Department has indicated it will continue to challenge Harvard’s legal efforts to overturn Trump’s directive. This comes as the State Department recently announced enhanced vetting procedures for foreign students seeking to attend Harvard, despite the court’s initial restraining order. Harvard’s lawyers note that this increased scrutiny is part of what they describe as an “unprecedented, government-wide campaign” against the university.